Method of sterilizing beverage dispenser and beverage dispenser

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10857248-B2
Application number	US-201615764589-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A beverage dispenser (1) includes a cold water tank (20) for storing cold water (50), a carbonation tank (30) disposed with at least a bottom portion thereof being submerged in the cold water (50) in the cold water thank (20), the carbonation tank being configured to generate carbonated water (60) by adding carbon dioxide gas to the cold water (50) supplied from the cold water tank (20), a carbonated water outlet passage (35) for taking out the carbonated water (60) from the carbonation tank (30) and a heater (41) for heating the cold water (50) in the cold water tank (20). In order to sterilize the above beverage dispenser (1), the heater (41) is caused to heat the cold water (50) in the cold water tank (20) to a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature, thereby to sterilize the cold water tank (20) and the carbonation tank (30). After the carbonated water (60) in the carbonation tank (30) is taken out via the carbonated water outlet passage (35), hot/warm water (70) in the cold water tank (20) is cooled.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of sterilizing a beverage dispenser for dispensing at least carbonated water, the beverage dispenser including:
a cold water tank having a cooler and configured to hold cold water cooled by the cooler;
a carbonation tank disposed with at least a bottom portion thereof being submerged in the cold water in the cold water thank, the carbonation tank being configured to generate carbonated water by adding carbon dioxide gas to the cold water supplied from the cold water tank;
a carbonated water outlet passage for taking out the generated carbonated water from the carbonation tank; and
a heater for heating the cold water in the cold water tank;
the method comprising the steps of:
causing the heater to heat the cold water in the cold water tank to a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature, thereby to sterilize the cold water tank and the carbonation tank; and
taking out the carbonated water in the carbonation tank via the carbonated water outlet passage and then causing the cooler to cool hot/warm water in the cold water tank.

2. The sterilizing method of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the carbonated water outlet passage is connected at least to the cold water tank, so that the carbonated water taken out of the carbonation tank is supplied to the cold water tank.

3. The sterilizing method of claim 2 , wherein:
the carbonated water outlet passage is provided for dispensing the carbonated water as drinking water;
the beverage dispenser further includes a cold water outlet passage for taking out the cold water from the cold water tank as drinking water and a bypass passage connected to the carbonated water outlet passage and the cold water outlet passage; and
the carbonated water is supplied from the carbonation tank to the cold water tank via the carbonated water outlet passage and the cold water outlet passage.

4. A beverage dispenser for dispensing drinking water, the dispenser comprising:
a cold water tank having a cooler and configured to hold cold water cooled by the cooler;
a carbonation tank disposed with at least a bottom portion thereof being submerged in the cold water in the cold water thank, the carbonation tank being configured to generate carbonated water by adding carbon dioxide gas to the cold water supplied from the cold water tank;
a cold water outlet passage for taking out the cold water from the cold water tank as drinking water, and a first valve of the cold water outlet passage being configured to open and close to selectively dispense cold water from the cold water outlet passage;
a carbonated water outlet passage for taking out the generated carbonated water from the carbonation tank as drinking water, and a second valve of the carbonated water outlet passage being configured to open and close to selectively dispense the carbonated water from the carbonated water outlet passage;
wherein the first valve and the second valve are provided separately from each other;
a heater for heating the cold water in the cold water tank; and
a pipe passage that includes the cold water outlet passage and the carbonated water outlet passage, wherein the pipe passage is capable of feeding the carbonated water in the carbonation tank to the cold water tank, wherein the pipe passage is configured to selectively communicate an interior of the carbonation tank with an interior of the cold water tank,
the pipe passage having a first end positioned proximate a bottom of the carbonation tank and a second end positioned proximate a bottom of the cold water tank.

5. The beverage dispenser of claim 4 , wherein:
the beverage dispenser further comprises a bypass passage connected to the carbonated water outlet passage and the cold water outlet passage;
wherein the pipe passage consists of the carbonated water outlet passage, the cold water outlet passage and the bypass passage; and
wherein the carbonated water in the carbonation tank can be supplied to the cold water tank via the carbonated water outlet passage, the cold water outlet passage and the bypass passage.

Assignees

• Suntory Holdings Ltd

Inventors

• Hanano Hirofumi

Classifications

• A23B70/30 Primary

  by heating · CPC title

• A61L2/04 Primary

  Heat (radiation A61L2/08) · CPC title

• B01F2101/14

  Mixing of ingredients for non-alcoholic beverages; Dissolving sugar in water · CPC title

• B01F23/237621

  in beverages · CPC title

• B01F23/2362

  for aerating or carbonating within receptacles or tanks, e.g. distribution machines (B01F23/2361 takes precedence) · CPC title